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HONG KONG: Cristiano Ronaldo will have a last crack at winning the Asian Champions League when the continent\u2019s top club competition begins on Monday, with big-spending Saudi teams set to dominate.<\/p>\n
The 41-year-old former Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus superstar said in August that it was \u201cprobably my last year in football.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Portuguese attacker has nearly won it all during his club career, including five UEFA Champions League crowns.<\/p>\n
But the Asian Champions League has so far eluded the five-time Ballon d\u2019Or winner.<\/p>\n
His Al Nassr side go into the latest continental campaign under a new coach in former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou, who was sacked by Spurs in June 2025 despite taking them to Europa League glory.<\/p>\n
Along with Ronaldo, the Riyadh-based outfit have proven international attacking quality in Kingsley Coman, Sadio Mane and Ronaldo\u2019s Portugal team-mate Joao Felix.<\/p>\n
Al Nassr are second in the Saudi Pro League after six matches, behind Al Hilal only on goal difference.<\/p>\n
The skipper Ronaldo has been in good form, scoring three times in five league games.<\/p>\n
Simone Inzaghi\u2019s Al Hilal present a major obstacle in Ronaldo\u2019s bid to win the AFC Champions League for the first time.<\/p>\n
Al Hilal were major spenders in the recent transfer window, snapping up Aston Villa\u2019s England striker Ollie Watkins and Brazil winger Gabriel Martinelli from Arsenal for a combined $150 million.<\/p>\n
Japan threat <\/strong><\/p>\n The format of the Asian Champions League is heavily skewed in favor of teams from Saudi Arabia, which is spending vast fortunes on football and will host the 2034 World Cup.<\/p>\n Since the 2024-2025 season the competition was rebranded as the Champions League Elite and the quarter-finals, semis and final are held in a centralized location in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n Al Ahli made the most of home advantage by winning the title in 2025 and 2026.<\/p>\n An Al Ahli side with England\u2019s Ivan Toney in attack beat Japan\u2019s Machida Zelvia 1-0 in extra time in April\u2019s final on home turf in Jeddah.<\/p>\n Al Nassr, Al Ahli and Al Hilal will be joined in this year\u2019s competition by Al Ittihad and Al Qadsiah, making it a bumper five Saudi sides among the 32 teams.<\/p>\n As in recent years, the competition is divided equally into two leagues of East and West.<\/p>\n Each side will play four matches at home and four away.<\/p>\n The biggest threat to the Saudi stranglehold will likely come from Japan \u2014 teams from Asia\u2019s strongest footballing nation have reached the final in each of the last four editions.<\/p>\n There are also five J. League teams, prime among them reigning domestic champions Kashima Antlers.<\/p>\n Former Kashima star Yasushi Endo admitted the Saudi teams would be hard to beat.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s difficult for Japanese teams to be champions these days given the financial strength of teams in the West who can invest heavily in players that traditionally play in strong European leagues,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWith the tournament being played in a centralized format in the West, it also makes things extra difficult.<\/p>\n \u201cWe cannot underplay the importance of having large fan support.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n